Existing messaging systems rely on some form of feedback or cue to determine a category, the possible content, or the source of a message. For example, a smart phone may provide an audible or visual alert upon receipt of a phone call, a voice mail, or a text message. Setting or causing a smart phone to perform a desired alert typically involves the use of touch screens, multiple keys or buttons, and traversing conventional pull down menus or other hierarchical menus involving multiple steps.
Instant messaging or a chat mode enables the exchange of typed messages instantly over the internet or a cellular network using a shared software application on a personal computer or a mobile device. The standard use of touch screens, multiple keys or buttons, and menus fail to provide a comparable instant interaction for a user of the messaging device.